Feeding device for bean-sorting machines.



No. 111L864. Patented June in, i902.

- A. T. FERREL'L.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR BEAN SORTING MACHINES.

I (Application filed May 24, 1901.)

(No Model.) I

WITNESSES M INVENTOR.

al/W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT T. FERRELL, OF SAGINAW, MICHIGAN.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR BEAN-SORTING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,864, dated June 10,1902.

Application filed May 24, 1901.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT T. FERRELL, a citizen of the United States,residing atSaginaw, in the county of Saginaw and State of Michigan, haveinvented certainnew and useful Improvements in Feeding Devices forBean-Sorting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This inventionis a device for feeding beans and like material from thehopper to the movable apron of a sorting-machine. It has for its objectto provide a simple and inexpensive device that'will automatically feedthe beans in any quantity desired uniformly over the apron, where theycan be sorted by hand, and to regulatethe speed at which they are fed tothe apron I attain these objects by the means illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective 'view of abean sorting machine embodying myimprovefnent. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe wheel and the vibrating plate. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on theline as at of Fig.2.. Fig. 4 is a vertical sec tion on the line 'y y ofFig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the wheel, the vibrating plate, andpartof the apron.

As is plainly shown in the drawings, the device consists in arectangular box I, mounted on the sorting-machine above the apron 2 andsupporting the hopper 3,from which the beans are to be delivered. Thefly-wheel 4, which is operated by a foot-treadle or other suitablemeans, has a projecting hub carrying ratchetteeth 4: on its inner face.Horizontally mounted in side slots 1 of the box 1 is thelaterallyvibrati'ng plate 5, which receives the beans from the hopper 3and delivers them to the apron. A downwardly-proj ectin g arm 5*, the

lower end of which is engaged by the teeth 4, is fixed to the plate 5and moves it away from the wheel as the arm 5 overrides each tooth. Assoon as the arm 5 is released from the Serial No. 6 1,715 (No modal.)

tooth a spring 6, yieldin'gly pressed against a toward the plate 5 andby raising or lowering it the rate of discharge is controlled. In orderto feed smaller grain or seeds, if desired, I provide slots 7 a in theflanges 7, sothat the gate can be partly closed against the plate 5 bypassing through the slot 7 thus not interfering with the vibration ofthe plate. 1 prefer to support the plate by flanges 5", extendinglaterally and operating in the slots 1 of the frame 1.

'What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a feeding device of the class described, a box located between theapron and the hopper and carrying a slidably adjustable inclined gate; areciprocating plate having a flange which is interrupted in its lengthto form a spacefor the lower edge of the'in'clined gate and having atits sides laterally-extending supporting fla'nges; a wheel. carryingratchet-teeth anarln or pawl attached-to the plate and overridingthe'teeth; anda spring for holding the arm normally in contact with theteeth. I

2. In a feeding device for sorting-machines, a reciprocating inclinedfeeding-plate having a flange which is interrupted in its length to forma space for thelower edge of the inclined gate, for the purpose setforth- In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

ALBERT T. FERRELL.

Witnesses:

I. GOULD, WILLIAM STEPHENS.

